Aviaries are frequently used to house hens for egg production and include aviary cages therein. Generally, the aviary cage includes nesting areas where eggs are laid. The eggs are then carried from the nesting area to a collection area by an egg conveyor that is positioned adjacent the nesting area. Recently, the need to provide the hens with an area to walk around and peck and scratch has increased dramatically as more farms are producing “cage free” product. “Cage free” indicates that the hens are able to move through a much larger space than is available in conventional battery cages.
Unfortunately, providing a cage free environment requires a substantial amount of space within the aviary. In particular, a cage free environment is defined by the amount of cubic inches of space within the aviary that is available to each hen. Cage free environments therefore frequently house fewer birds than conventional aviary battery cage houses with similar footprints. For example, some aviaries have a reduced number of cage towers to accommodate the cubic inch requirements for a cage free environment. Limiting the number of hens that may be housed in an aviary results in lost profits, increased labor requirements, increased maintenance requirements, and/or increased spending for additional cages.